My prediction of AIADMK victory will come true in 2026 Assembly election, says Edappadi K. Palaniswami

AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday said that his prediction of his party emerging victorious will come true in the 2026 Assembly election.

Addressing party cadre at Edappadi, Mr. Palaniswami said, “Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is mocking me by calling me an astrologer. My prediction will come true in the 2026 Assembly election, and the AIADMK will come to power.”

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the AIADMK alliance won one seat. But in the 2021 Assembly election, it won 75 seats. The DMK secured fewer seats in the 2021 Assembly election than in the 2019 parliamentary election, he pointed out.

The DMK, he alleged, was functioning like a corporate company, and the chairman of the company was Mr. Stalin and his family members were its directors. Hence, only family members would become Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Palaniswami said. 

Asserting that the AIADMK will put an end to family politics in the 2026 election, Mr. Palaniswami said that the DMK’s strategy will not work against the AIADMK. Many people worked hard for the DMK and went to prison with Mr. Stalin under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Emergency. But they did not get party posts or higher posts, he said. “When former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa was alive, 40 lakh youth joined the AIADMK. These youth are working vibrantly during elections,” he said.

“For the 2026 election, the AIADMK will form a mega alliance. The people of Tamil Nadu are used to voting differently in Assembly and Lok Sabha elections,” Mr. Palaniswami added.

Alleging that the prices of essential commodities had skyrocketed under the DMK regime, Mr. Palaniswami said that the price of 1 kg rice had increased by ₹20 per kg. The electricity charges had increased by 60%. Likewise, property taxes, water charges, and other taxes had also increased, he said.

“The DMK has not brought in any new scheme. The schemes introduced during the AIADMK regime were put on hold. In the last three years, the DMK government has obtained ₹3.50 lakh crore in loans, and the State government’s debt has increased,“ the AIADMK leader alleged.

Published - October 25, 2024 08:56 pm IST